Talons, Tails, Antlers, Paws and Claws
by tazangel
Summary: Orphaned and shuffled from one home to another, she never thought her life would be happy. Until one day and owl tapped on her window and changed everything...
1. Chapter 1

Talons, Tails, Antlers, Paws and Claws

Orphaned and shuffled from one home to another, she never thought her life would be happy. Until one day and owl tapped on her window and changed everything...

This will be a Marauder era story eventually, but half the adventure is getting there.

Hope you enjoy this story that me and my Plot Bunny's (Alfie) Son Norman has been helping me with. He hopes you all like his first story.

Chapter 1

Grounded, Again

The children are outside running about playing in the sprinkler in the heat of a hot August day. As usual I'm not there. I watch them play through the dirty window in my small, hot attic room. Grounded again for getting into a fight with the daughter of my foster family, she such a brat. Tired of watching the other kids play, I flop down on the old tattered mattress I have been given to sleep on and stare up at the rafters. A puff of dust flies out choking me. I've been shuffled in and out of foster homes and orphanages my whole life. I'm the weird child know body wants, strange things seem to happen when I'm around so I keep getting moved around. As usual this family only takes in kids for the extra money they get, not because they care. My parents, they died in a car accident when I was just a baby some ten years ago. I don't remember them at all. Tomorrow is my eleventh birthday and lucky me I get to spend it in here grounded for the whole weekend. Up here with all the dust, junk and spiders, how fun is my life. I'm teased at school for being the unwanted child. I have never really had many friends. After being moved around as much as I have it's hard and painful to get attached to anyone so I don't.

Clump, clump, clump, someone is coming up stairs. Rattle, clank, creak, lucky me a visitor, ha, not likely.

"Here's your dinner." Spats out my foster mother as she places a tray with food on the floor next to the door a quickly exits, relocking the door.

I crawl up off my mattress and weave my way through the piles of junk over to the door and retrieve my dinner. This looks yummy, a warm generic soda and a sandwich of tuna fish. I hate tuna fish, really, really hate tuna fish. Yep life gets better. Seeing as I've not gotten any thing else to eat today I gag down the sandwich. After dining on my excellent meal I return to staring at the ceiling imaging that I am some where else living a life of happiness. Darkness slowly seeps into the attic as the sunsets. Later dreaming of a birthday full of wonderful presents and a big delicious birthday cake, I drift off to sleep.

Tap, tap, tap! A noise rouses me from my sleep. What the... I crack open my eyes and squint at the bright morning sun coming in my window. Tap, tap, tap! Where is the coming from? I crane my neck around and see an owl sitting on the window sill looking in at me. What's an owl doing here? I slowly creep over to the window but the owl does not fly away. I wonder what he is doing here and what that tied to his leg. Tap, tap, tap! "What? I can't let you in the window is nailed shut." The owl flies off. That was weird. I crawl back to my bed and drift back off to sleep.

Bang! Bang! What the..!

"Angelina you've got mail." yells my foster father through the door.

Who would be writing to me? I make my way to the door and see an envelope lying on the floor that was shoved under the door. I pick it up and read the address:

Angelina Dawson

The Attic

4290 E Nelson Ave

Boston, Ma 02125

I turn the envelope over to open it. What's this weird crest on here and what's this language on here Latin? This is so odd; this letter is sealed with a wax seal. People haven't sealed letters with wax for almost two hundred years if not longer. I wonder what strange things are inside. I think as I open the envelope and remove the letter inside.

Salem School of Magic

Headmaster: Herbert Winklemier

Dear Ms Angelina Dawson,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at The Salem School of Magic. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. A representative from the school will visit your home in the next few days to discuss your attendance with your current foster family.

Yours Sincerely,

Hilda Hornnesser,

Deputy Headmistress

Do what? School of magic? Like hocus pocus and make rabbits appear? Why would I want to learn that? I read on.

Uniform

First-year students will require:

1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)

2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear

3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)

4. One winter cloak (black, silver fastenings)

Please note that all pupils' clothes should carry name tags

Course Books

All students should have a copy of each of the following:

The America Book of Standard Spells (Grade 1) by Martha Westwere

A History of Pre-American Magic by William Bergner

The Theory of Magical by Rufus Stewartson

A Guide to Transfiguration for Beginners' by Betty Morgan

The Many Magical Herbs and Fungi Used In Magic by Phyllis Pollen

Potions for the Beginning Student by Walter Vial

Magical Creatures and How to Locate Them by Norman Lefner

Protecting Ones Self Against Dark Magic by Lee General

Other Equipment

1 wand

1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)

1 set glass or crystal phials

1 telescope

1 set brass scales

Students may also bring an owl or a cat or a toad.

Parents are reminded that first years are not allowed their own broomsticks.

Holy crap this can't be for real. This is like bubble, bubble toil and trouble type magic. Witches, cauldrons, broomsticks, potions and the like, this is some big joke. It has to be a joke. That kind of magic is not real. But what if it is? What if I get to go, life there has to be better than living here in the attic. Plus it would explain a lot of the odd things that's happen in my life. Like what just happened when Billy Wilson, another foster kid in a home with me, was teasing me. He wouldn't stop and some how he ended up on top of the house roof. He swore that I did it. He just disappeared and reappeared on the roof. So then I was the evil child and got moved to here. Just like why I'm currently grounded. My current family has two children of there own a boy and a girl and they're both brats. The girl, Amy, was smacking me in the head with her stupid little dolls, over and over and over. She wouldn't stop. So I grabbed them all, she had about fifteen of them, and took them away from her. But some how they all ended up melted together in one big lump, with tufts of blonde hair, skinny arms and legs sticking out here and there in a grotesque misshapen blob. She cried for hours over her precious collection. I got grounded to my room for a week, this is day two. My first day of freedom is the first day of school here, the last week of August, what fun. Maybe I'll get more than a tuna fish sandwich and warm soda for lunch. But hey right now I'd take just about any thing to eat.

I while away the rest of the day shifting between staring at the ceiling and staring out the window. All the time dreaming of what life would be like if the world in the letter is real.

"Angelina!" My foster father yells through the door.

"Yes!" I yell back.

"You have visitors come downstairs."

"Ok." Who would come to see me. Oh crap I bet they call child services and I'm going to be sent to another home. I slowly descend the stairs down from the attic and then on down to the first floor. I hear voices in the living room so I head in that direction. I step into the room and I can't believe my eyes. Sitting on the sofa is a tall skinny stately looking man in long deep burgundy robes and a pointy hat covers his graying brown hair. Next to him is my short dumpy badly dressed case worker at child services, Amelia Dunthworth. Standing over in the corner is three others in long robes. One a plump man with a red face and dirty blond hair, keeps shifting from one foot to the other like he has a bad itch in a place he dare not scratch in public. A tall slender lady is next to him dressed neatly in he robes. She looks like one of those people that have never broken a rule ever in her whole life, stickler for following the book. The other man with them is leaning on the door facing. All relaxed, he is probably the complete opposite of the lady, tall, handsome and nicely dressed. I freeze in my tracks.

"Angelina I want to introduce you the headmaster of the Salem School of Magic, Herbert Winklemier." says my case worker.

"It's nice to meet you Angelina. I'm sure this is a shock to you, but the letter you received yesterday is real and you are a witch. We at the Salem School of Magic hope you will come and join us in learning of our wondrous abilities." states the headmaster. I stare back in shock.

"Me? A witch? You've got to be joking. There's no such thing." I stammer out in total disbelief.

"I a sure you that we are real and you are one. We would be delighted if you would come to our school." He pulls out the melted blob of dolls and lays them on the coffee table. "Do you think this happened by magic?"

"I..guess. I ...don't know." I must be dreaming.

"Of course darling it was magic and we can teach you to control it and use it for good. I've read your record and it contains many instances of magic in it. Magic can do many wondrous things." He pulls out his wand, mutters a few words and taps the lump on the table. All fifteen dolls just returned to their original shape.

"Wow! That was cool." I say in awe.

"So would you like to come to our school?" He asks.

"Yes sir." I answer. "But where is this school and how will I buy the many things on the list?"

"A special account has been set up for you and is funded by both of our governments for children in situations such as yours. The school is located near Keasleshire, New Hampshire and you will be staying with us and the rest of the students." he tells me.

"Um ok, if I'm allowed." I look wide eyed at my case worker.

"Of course you're allowed. Now go pack your things and come back down. Headmaster Winklemier will take you to the school so they will have time to arrange for you to get your supplies before school starts." My case worker explains.

I turn and exit the room running all the way up stairs. I can't believe this. This is so amazing and I'm leaving this crappy foster home. I toss my few belongings into to my tattered bag. So long hot smelly dusty cramped attic I'm out of here. I run back down to the living room. Excitement and nervousness fills me.

"Come along darling we best be off." The headmaster tells me. We exit the house and I finally get to breath in the fresh air of the outdoors. "Feels good to be out of there does it."

"Yes, sir." I state. He chuckles.

"We have been monitoring your situation here and decided that it was in your best interest that we remove you from your current living situation. Our school does not start for another two weeks but we can arrange for your care until then."

"Thank you sir, I still can't believe this is all real." I tell him.

"It will all seem much more real in the next few days. Oh and here." he reaches inside of his cloak and produces a bar of chocolate. He hands it to me. "Here eat this you must be famished. We'll get a much hardier meal in you as soon as we get to our destination."

"Sir, will I be returned to this foster home or a foster home when school is not in session?"

"You will not be returned to this foster home. Their memories will be modified and they will have no memory of you or my visit to them. We wizards and witches are few and we have been persecuted for thousands of years. The school was move from Salem, Massachusetts do to the persecution of witches in 1692. So we go to great lengths to keep the knowledge of our existence hidden from the muggle society." We turn down a dark alley. "Here we are. We can safely use a portkey from this spot."

"Muggles? Portkey? Huh!" I stare at him.

"Muggles are non magic folk, such as your foster family. A portkey is a way of traveling. We can use an ordinary object and enchant it to transport us from one location to another."

"You can do that?" I ask in awe.

"Yes, shall I show you?" I nod my head yes. Hope I don't die. He picks up a squashed soda can and places it on top of an old beat up tin garbage can. He pulls out his wand and gives the soda can a tap. "Portus! Ok just touch the can and we'll be whisked away to our destination." Hesitantly I reach out and touch the can. Immediately I feel a tough behind my navel and I'm jerked forward. The world spins around me and the next thing I know I hit solid ground again and crash into the cool damp grass face down nearly knocking the wind out of me. That hurt but was cool I'd do it again any day. I roll over and look up into the headmasters face looking down at me.

"Not bad huh! It the landing that gets you the first few times but soon you'll get the hang of it." he says chuckling. He offers me his hand a pulls me up.

"That was awesome. I didn't know you could do such things for real." I tell him.

"This is just the beginning. I feel that you will fit into our world just fine. Come along now not much farther to go, tonight."

Off in the near distance I see a grouping of lights. We head in the direction of the lights down a ruff cobble stone road. We pass a few houses on the out skirts of town, all quaint looking little cottages. Upon getting closer to town I realize that the lights lining the streets are gas lamps. Like the one you see in old western movies. The sign over the shop on the right side of the street comes into view, Wismonds Owlery and Magical Creature Supplies. Next to that is a store called The Tadpollington Hollow Cauldron Shop. We kept on walking down what must be the main street of this town. Near the other side of town we come upon Tad Pond Inn and Pub. The headmaster turns and leads the way to the door he opens it and ushers me inside. Wizards and witches are here inside enjoying the food and spirits. Sitting at the bar is what I believe is a hag drinking a smoking drink. He leads me over to an empty table and the barmaid comes over to take our order.

"Ahh, headmaster Winklemier good to see you here, what can I get you two this evening?" She asks. Her blue eyes twinkle in the candle light.

"How about two of tonight's special, a butterbeer for the lady and a pumpkin juice for me, also we will be in need of two rooms for the night, please."

"Very well, I'll be right back with that." She twirl's on her heels and heads for the kitchen.

"If you haven't figured it out this is Tadpollington Hollow, an all wizard village, which is actually located in Maine. There is a nice wizard family near here that I hope will agree to take care of you and see that you get your supplies for school. And will also see that you get to school for the first day. They have a son your age that is also starting school this year."

The barmaid emerges from the kitchen with a tray floating in front of her carrying our food. This fascinates me as she guides the tray over to us. The tray hovers next to the table as she sets our food and drinks in front of us. I have never seen so much food on one plate. Roast beef, mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy and vegetables. Also a large basket of rolls and butter was sat between us.

"Dig in child." He tells me with him mouth full of mash potatoes.

I dig in. Man this is so good. If all the food is this good in the wizarding world I'll be happy for the rest of my life. We ate in silence. I stuffed myself to the point of exploding. Once I finally decided that I couldn't eat one more bite I collapsed back against my seat.

"Are you full Angelina?" he asks wiping gravy from his chin.

"Yes sir thank you. It was delicious." I rub my over full belly. The barmaid saunters over.

"Here are your room keys." She lays two rather large and old keys on the table. Then she removes the empty plates.

"Well we better go get some rest. Tomorrow may prove to be another long day." I shake my head in agreement. We head off up the stair on the far side of the bar and walk down several hallways before reaching our rooms. He put the key in, unlocking the room. "Here you go." He jesters me inside, "I'll see you in the morning."

"Yes, Goodnight sir."

"Goodnight Angelina." He closes the door. The room looks nice and well kept. But everything in here seems to be real old.

I change clothes and crawl into bed. It is big and soft, a real bed. My mind is buzzing with everything that has happened today. I'll never be able to go to sleep. But before long I drift off into dream land.


	2. Chapter 2 A New Home

Disclaimer: Nope I don't own Harry Potter, trust me my bank account balance can attest to that.

The adventure continues. Me and my little plot bunny, Norman, hope you like this new chapter. So read on and enjoy.

Chapter 2

A New Home

The next morning I wake up early. I sit up and look around. I'm still here. I jump out of bed and go to take a long hot shower. I emerge later refreshed and dress for another day in my new life as a witch. Yep me I'm a witch. I still can't believe this. I walk over to the window and pull back the curtain and look out.

Before my stretches the street we walk down the night before. A few witches and wizards were also up and stirring about in the early morning sun. Just then a wizard flew by and landed on the street nearby. No way, they really do fly on broomsticks. This is all getting weirder by the moment.

Knock, knock!

"Yes!"

"Are you up and dressed?" headmaster Winklemier calls through the door.

"Yes, sir." I go and open the door.

"Shall before we go have breakfast we set out for the day?"

"Breakfast would be wonderful." I answer.

We dine on a wonderful breakfast before setting out for the day. We head out of town opposite of the way we came in. We walk quite a ways before we turn off the main road onto a narrow weed choked driveway that led up to a small house nestled among a grouping of trees. We approach the house and he knocks upon the door.

"Coming! Just one moment." A nice motherly voice called out from the other side. The door opens revealing a lovely looking woman with shoulder length blond hair, drying her hands upon her apron. Looking beyond her pleasing looks though revealed a woman clad in what must be at least seven different fabric patterns. Her outfit was like the carpet patterns on a casino floor in Las Vegas, gaudy. Her apron was a large floral pattern in bright fuchsia and teal. Her blouse was a different pattern on each arm. One purple paisley, the other orange striped. The front was solid olive green on one side with a black and red poky dotted pocket sown on crooked. The other side was a busy pattern of flowers in pink and yellow. Her skirt was a yucky mustard yellow with lace trimming. On her feet was a very worn pair of bunny slippers.

"Headmaster Winklemier what a pleasant surprise, to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?" She asks gesturing us in. "And who is this lovely lady."

"This lovely lady is Angelina Dawson and she will be attending school this year." He tells her.

"Well come on in and sit down I'll get us some tea." She bustles off to the kitchen. The living room is just as mismatched as her outfit, but I like it here. It's cozy and warm feeling. Nothing like the sterol places the orphanages are. Clattering and banging can be heard from the kitchen.

She re-enters the room floating the tray out front of her. She serves us all tea. Something I've never had. I find it to be delicious.

"Mrs. Horthon, Angelina here is new to the magical world. Being that she has been shuffled in and out of many foster homes and orphanages. And her most recent home was unacceptable. I was hoping you and your husband would graciously look after her until the start of the school term."

"Of course we will. Kyal will be happy to have someone his age to talk to." She leans back and yells out. "Kyal!"

"Yes mother." He yells back.

"Please come down here. There are someone here you need to meet." She tells him. I hear the stairs creek and he descends them. Looking toward the door way I see a boy with shaggy blond hair like his mothers peek his right eye around the door facing. "Oh don't be shy Kyal come on in. I want to introduce you to Angelina. She is going to come and stay with us until school starts."

He slowly steps into the room and shyly looks at me. Down the left side of his face is a large scar that starts above his eye and travels down across his cheek. Except for that he is a very handsome boy.

"Hello Headmaster Winklemier." He timidly says.

"Hello Kyal it's nice to see you again." he answers.

"Kyal why don't you show Angelina the guest room that she'll be staying in while she is here." His mother tells him.

"Ok come on." he answers gloomily. I rise taking my bag and follow him upstairs and down the hall to the last room on the right. He opens the door and we enter. I stop in my tracks.

"Sorry the room is small." he says.

"No this room is wonderful." A large wooden four poster bed dominated the room with matching dresser, chest and nightstand. Sunlight streamed in from outside. The room was grander than any thing I had ever seen. Even the inn room I stayed in last night was insignificant to this room. "My last room was an old mattress thrown on the floor in a hot, smelly, crowded attic."

"Really why?"

"Because as usual I ended up in a foster home that only wanted me because of the extra money they got for keeping me." I inform him.

"What! Really? They sound like wonderful people." He says sarcastically.

"Yeah fabulous." I answer laughing. He laughs with me. "I still can't believe I'm here and all of this is real."

"What magic and all? Well I guess it would be strange to just be told one day you're a witch. Especially since you didn't grow up knowing anything about magic being real I never really ever thought about what that would be like. I've always been around magic my whole life."

We spend the next several days discussing all sorts of things about magic and muggle life. The days seem to fly by. I'm the happiest I've ever been in my whole life. I never knew family life was supposed to be like this. Where ever one cares about each other and the foster child is not the family slave and whipping boy. I actually feel like part of the family.

Today we are going to town to buy our school supplies. I'm so excited. Kyal and I are sitting in our usual place in the cool shade of a large tree in their backyard.

"Alright you two come along. It's time to go." Mrs. Horton calls to us. We rise and race each other to the back door. He of course wins but it could be that he is a good six inches taller than me. We walk to town. The streets are bustling with people. Mostly parents with their children there to also to buy school supplies. We start by going to the wizard bank and getting money out. I couldn't believe my eyes when they opened my vault and I saw all the money inside that was mine. There were stacks after stacks of glittering and sparkling gold and silver coins. I took out what Mrs. Horton told me I would need to buy my supplies. After she finished her business here we headed to the robe shop. Here we are fitted for our school robes. While they are adjusted we head off to do more shopping.

We squeeze our way into the bookstore along with all the other students clamoring about. I'm leading the way to the back of the store when Kyal is slammed into my back, nearly knocking us both to the floor.

"Are you..." Ok, I begin to ask as turn toward him but I stop upon seeing two brutish looking boys there glaring at us.

"Ah lookie scar face has got a girlfriend." crows the uglier one of the two if that is possible since if I'm guessing right they're twins. They are oafish looking boys with beady dark eyes, crooked lumpish noses and dark greasy hair. The uglier of them also has a big hairy mole on his chin. What a lovely way to tell them apart.

I step between Kyal and the ugly twin. "Hi, nice to meet you I'm Angelina." They just glare at me shocked that I would speak to them.

"I'm Bruce and this is my twin brother Burt. If you were smart you would distance your self from this little loser and be friends with us." he snarls out.

"I'm sorry but I believe who I choose to be friends with is my choice and you'll have no sway in the matter. So if I were you I'd run along now and leave me and my friend Kyal alone." I tell them.

"Don't cross us you'll be sorry." Burt sneers out at me.

"Bruce, Burt there you two are come along now we have more shopping to finish." Their tall slender nicely dressed mother calls to them. She might actually be pretty if she didn't also have the same crooked lumpish nose that they have. The twins glare at us. She snaps her fingers at them. "Come along right now!" she barks. They turn and follow her like two little whipped puppies.

"Well they're lovely family." I state.

"Yeah the bane of my existence." Kyal mournfully states.

"What why?"

"Because they taunt and tease me every time they see me. I hate them." he spats out.

"Pay them no mind. There not worth your time or worry." I tell him.

"Yeah but they will be in school with us. They are in the same year." He wines.

"Well then we'll just have to teach them one day to not mess with us."

"Yeah but how?" he asks.

"I don't know but I'll figure it out. I've fixed quite a few bullies in my day. Come on we need to find these books we have a lot more shopping to do. I never got to go shopping much." I tell him.

"Well then we better get to spending more galleons and sickles." He heads off across the store. We find all the books we need for school and purchase them. His mother walks us to the apothecary to get potion supplies. Once seeing us there she apparated our bookstore purchases home so we didn't have to tote the every where with us and then returned to join us again. I was amazed to see all the different ingredients. It was strange to find out they really use eye of newt, wing of bat and the like that I have heard and read about. We continue on from there getting cauldrons, feather quills and ink, parchment, and all the other stuff. I was shocked to find out that they still use quills and ink, instead of ink pens. Then he explained that most muggle inventions don't work in the magical world. Even after buying all this stuff I found myself to still have money left. We headed back up the street to pick up our robes before heading home. Out front of the store Mrs. Horton stopped and fished into her pockets and pulled out a few extra coins and handed them to Kyal.

"Why don't the two of you run along to Klink's Sweets, Treats and Tricks and get your self some candy while I pick up your robes." she tells us. Kyal stare at her in awe.

"Thanks ma." he tells her as we run across the street to the candy shop.

As soon as we opened the door the sweet smell from inside hit us in the face. It was wonderful. I have never seen so much candy in one place. Jar after jar, row after row of candy. Hard candy, soft candy, chocolate, taffy, gum balls, caramels and so much more. Many I knew and a lot of them I had never seen before. Kyal pointed out the good, the bad and the just plan evil ones, cinnamon balls so hot that you actually breathe fire. I would have thought he was joking about that if I hadn't really seen a kid do that. He melted a whole display of jumbo lollipops and singed the clerk's eyebrows off.

We both bought large bags of candy and then went to find his mother. She laughed when we told her about the kid breathing fire. Then she told us that the clerk's eyebrows had just grown back from being blasted off by an exploding gum ball. We laughed all the way home.

Kyal and I spend the next several days before school starts reading through some of our books and eating our way through our bags of candy. I wanted to familiarize myself with the subjects so I won't look like a bumbling idiot on my first day. I think for the first time in my life I'm actually excited to be going to school.


End file.
